You can choose among four ways to view items in a Finder window: as icons, as a list, in columns, or in Cover Flow.

Before you start, click the Finder icon in the Dock to open a Finder window, and then click each of the four view buttons to see which one you like. If the View buttons aren’t visible, choose View > Show Toolbar.

In any view, you can organize the window by clicking the item arrangement button and choosing one of the ways to group items.

Options for icon view

Choose View > Arrange By, and then choose a way of ordering items (for example, choose Name for alphabetical order).

Choose View > Show View Options, and then try adjusting the sliders, selecting the checkboxes and buttons, and choosing from the menus. The changes take effect immediately, so you can see the results of your choices.

To set the current window to always open in icon view, select “Always open in icon view.” Also select “Browse in icon view” if you want subfolders to open in icon view as well.

To apply your choices to all Finder windows in icon view, click “Use as Defaults.”

To reverse your changes, press the Option key and click “Restore to Defaults.”

Drag the Icon size slider in the lower-right corner of the window to increase and decrease the size of the icons.

To arrange the icons neatly, choose View > Clean Up.

Options for list view

Choose View > Arrange By, and then choose a way of ordering items (for example, choose Name for alphabetical order).

Choose View > Show View Options, and then try selecting the checkboxes and buttons and choosing from the menus. The changes take effect immediately, so you can see the results of your choices.

To set the current window to always open in list view, select “Always open in list view.” Also select “Browse in list view” if you want subfolders to open in list view as well.

To apply your choices to all Finder windows in list view, click “Use as Defaults.”

To reverse your changes, press the Option key and click “Restore to Defaults.”

To place columns in a different order, drag each column heading to its new position. (You can’t drag the Name column.)

To resize columns, drag the line that’s between column headings.

To expand a column to reveal its longest entry, double-click the column divider.

Options for column view

Choose View > Arrange By, and then choose a way of ordering items (for example, choose Name for alphabetical order).

Choose View > Show View Options, and then try selecting the checkboxes and buttons and choosing from the menus. The changes take effect immediately, so you can see the results of your choices.

To set the current window to always open in column view, select “Always open in column view.” Also select “Browse in column view” if you want subfolders to open in column view as well.

To resize columns, drag the column divider. To resize all columns at once, hold down the Option key as you drag.

To expand a column to reveal its longest entry, double-click the column divider.

Options for Cover Flow

Choose View > Arrange By, and then choose a way of ordering items (for example, choose Name for alphabetical order).

Choose View > Show View Options, and then try selecting the checkboxes and buttons and choosing from the menus. The changes take effect immediately, so you can see the results of your choices.

To set the current window to always open in Cover Flow, select “Always open in Cover Flow.” Also select “Browse in Cover Flow” if you want subfolders to open in Cover Flow as well.

To apply your choices to all Finder windows in Cover Flow, click “Use as Defaults.”

To reverse your changes, press the Option key and click “Restore to Defaults.”

To place columns in a different order, drag each column heading to its new position. (You can’t drag the Name column.)

To resize columns, drag the line that’s between column headings.

To expand a column to reveal its longest entry, double-click the column divider.